Self-propelled terrestrial torpedo



-F' lVlcNICOL.

SELF PROPELLED TERRESTRIAL TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14. ISIS.

Patented June 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l.

/b INVE TUB/ f//f//Q/ /K/ BY ATTORNEY F. IVlcNICOL.

SELF PROPELLED TERRESTHIAL TORPEDO.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 14.1918. 1,307,406.

Patented June 24,- 1919.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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Y ...Nd II|IIIII I I E f QN \\\I J WITNESSES:

ATTO H N EY 55 length in which 1s concentricallyarranged a En STATES PATE crimen.

FRBEST MCNICOL, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

SELF-PROPELLED TERRESTBIAL TORPE-DO.

To all/whom it may concern -Be it known that I, FoRREsT McNIcoL, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and yState of Wisconsin, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Propelled Terrestrial Torpedoes; and I do hereby declare that the followingis a full, clear, and exact description thereof.

My invention -relates to improvementsin explosive devices, particularly lthose which are adapted to be discharged beneath enemy trenches or other places underground.

One ofthe objects of the present inven-y ground, and to construct a device of this character -so inexpensively that it may be manufacturedVand-used in' large quantities.

' With these and other objects and advantages in view the invention resides in the novel features ofconstruction, combination .and arrangementV of .parts which will'be hereinafter more particularly described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings: f n Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal sectional view taken approximately on the plane of the line 1-1 of Fig. 2.

' Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view on the plane of the-line 2'-2 of 'F ig. 1.

Fig. 3 isa longitudinal horizontal'section on the plane ofthe line '3 3 of Fig.l 2, and

Fig. 4 is a 'view similar to. Fig. 2 on the plane of the line Ai- -4= of Fig. 3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings it will be lseen that the invention comrises broadly a combined explosive carrying and propelling body 1 and a excavating head .2 disposed forwardly of the` body.'

. Said body is preferably formed of asheet metal orcast c linder of an appropriate Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 24:, 1919.

Application tiled March 14, 1918.V Serial No. 222,404.

. cylindrical dirt conveying passage-way 3, 'the forward end vof which terminates in. wardly of the forward end of the body.

'The rear lend'of the body isclosed by a centrally apertured' plate 4, the opening of which alines with the passage-way 3. The I forward end of the bodyl is also closed whereby to provide an annular explosive .chamber 5. f

In order to overcome friction between the body 1 and the wall of the subterranean passage-way constructed by the excavating head 2, a plurality of radial-ly disposed longitudinally extending fins `6 are formed on the outer surface of the body. 4Said body is further provided with aL pair of diametrically opposed longitudinally extending channels 7, the plane of said channels being normally positioned horizontally. At the opposite ends of each of the ,channels is mounted a vertical shaft 8 on which is disposed a sprocket or similar wheel 9. An endless propeller belt 1() is trained around each palr of sprocket wheels 9, lsaid lbelt having a plurality of traction lugs 11 secured thereto, which lugs project outwardly of the body V1 for engagement with the wall of said subterranean passage-way.

It will be seenthat if the propeller'belts are' moved in the 'proper direction the body 1 and its excavating head 2 will belmoved forwardly. Such operation of the propeller belts is carried out through theinstrumentality of an electric motor or the like 12,

said motor being disposed in the body 1 at h of the body 1 and head 2. A horizontal ydisposed transversely i extending worm shaft 14" has its opposite ends geared to certain. of the vertical supporting shafts 8,- said worm shaft 14 having a worm gear 15 which meshes with .a worm 16on the shaft 13. The conducting wires for the electric motor-12 are'conveyed therefrom tothe end of the body through a tube`17 as shown in Fig, 1.

The excavating head 2 is in the form' of a hollow conical shell, the base of which is open and provided with-an inwardly eXtending annular flange 18' which is parallel to and in close proximity to the from;4 wall 19 of the body. This head is rotated with respect to the body 1 by the revolution of the shaft 13 to the forward end o fwhich it is conn V the forward end thereof` The sha-ft of the motor is geared or otherwise connected with Aa longitudinally extending shaft 13 which is disposed throughout the le nected as at 2O and 20. Said shaftis journaled in a bearing 21 formed inthe front' .wall 19 and in a bearing 22 carried 'by a bracket secured to the rear Wall 4, the intermediate portion of the shaft being within the conveyerpassage-way 3 for :a purpose to be hereinafter more particularly described.

- conveyed to the rear end of the body. On

. the inner surface of the wall of the head -and adjacent the base thereof is formed a plurality of conveyerelements 25 which are 1n the form of longitudinally curved plates.

The excavated material is carried by the conveyer elements 25 and deposited on a relatively stationary inclined conveyer chute 26 that projects forwardly through an opening '27 in the front Wall 19 of the body and is thus disposed within said `hollow head. The inner end of the conveyer chute 26 opens into the conveyer passage-way 3 and the dirt which is deposited in the, latter is moved through vthe-body byv means of a spiral or screw'conveyer 28 formed on the shaft 13.

The operation of my invention is substantially as follows The pointed end of the head 2 is inserted in the. ground a suitable distance below the surface thereof and the electric motor 12 started. The v headwill thus be caused to rotate and bore an opening or passagefway for the body 1 which,I as soon as the passage-Way is deep-enough to receive' the front end of the same will bey pro. pelled by the vengagement of the traction lugs 13 with the -Wall of said passage-way.

. The material which isexcavated will drop .ejected therefrom.-

through the 4openings 24 into the Ahollow head 2 and will slide toward the rear thereof where it will he caught in the pockets formed by the, conveyer'felem'ents 25'.. 'The head beingl rotated, these elements will be'succes-- sively ldisposed above lthe conveyerchute 26 where theywill be emptied of their contents. From the conveyer chute 26l the material will-be moved to the rear` of thebody and As soon as thetorpedo has moved itself forwarda suflicient distance, as for instance when it is positioned beneath an .enemy trench, the explosivel charge in the chamber 5 is set oi, preferably `by means of electricity which 1s 'conveyed through a wire or wires 29 which -pass through the tube 5 to asuitable lfiring member 30. The enemy trench is thus destroyed without dan'ger to l the occupants of the other trench, and with- .out the occupants of said enemy trench bey v veyer passageway, a longitudinal .s v, tending through the passage-wa ing aware of the existence of the torpedo neath the same.

digging elements therewith, said `head having an opening adjacent each digging. eleyment to permit material therefrom to be deposited on the conveyer elements, and a relatively stationary conveyer projecting within the hollow head to successively receive material from the conveyer elements.

2. An explosive device of 'the class described comprising an explosive carrying body a rotary substantially conical, hollow excavating head having a plurality of radi-V ally disposed openings, a digging rib substantially paralleling each yof the openings and positioned adjacent thereto, the material excavated by said ribs being adapted to pass through said openings into the head, a plurality of conveyer elements positioned on the inner wall of the head, and la relawithin the head and lpositioned adjacent the lconnection of the tively stationary conveyer projecting within the' hollow head to successively receive the .material from the conveyer elements.

3. An explosive device of the class described comprising an explosive carrying body having .a longitudinal conveyer passage-way formed therethrough, a rotary'hollow excavatin head carried by'the body, saidv head having alurality of'openings, a digging rib substantially paralleling each of iossaid opemngs and positioned adjacent thereto, the material excavated by said ribs bei ing adaptedto pass through said openings into the head, and means for conveying the excavated material from the head to said, .l conveyer passage-way..

4. An explosive devlce of the class described comprisingan explosive carrying body having'a longitudinallyextendingtconha l exand projecting beyond the forward end o saidbody, a rotary head secured to the projecting end of said shaft, said `headhaving a plurality of openings' therein, a digging ribds adjacent each of said ,openings where y. to direct excavated material through'said openings, means for conveying excavated material from said head to said "conve er pas` sage-way,' means on said shaft forV ting excavated material through vsaid conveyer' passage-way, and means for rotatlng Saud` 'l 0 bodv.

shaft to operate the last mentioned means and said rotary head.

Afleviee of the elass described comprising a cylindrical explosive carrying 5 body having` a passage therethrough, means at one end of the body for digging into the earth, means for conveying earth through the body. and a caterpillar drive belt arranged longitudinally at one side of the 6: A .device of the class described comprising a cylindrical explosive carrying body having a .passage therethrough, means at one end of the body for digging earth, means for conveying earth through the passage of the body, outstanding longitudinal ribs on the body extending each substantially throughout the length of the body, and means for propellingthe body.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand at Milwaukee, in the County of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin.

' FOR-REST MCNICOL. 

